Austin Peralta

Jazz pianist and composer Austin Peralta demonstrated technical mastery as an improviser whose direction favored post-bop and expansive modal jazz. Born in Los Angeles, California, he was the son of noted skateboarder and filmmaker Stacy Peralta. Recognized early as a piano prodigy, he started lessons at age six and later trained under jazz pianist Alan Pasqua and saxophonist Buddy Collette. At age 13 he received the Los Angeles Jazz Society's Shelley Manne New Talent Award. His first album, Maiden Voyage, appeared in 2006 when he was 16 and featured bassist Ron Carter. That same year he issued Mantra, recorded with bassist Buster Williams, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and others. Endless Planets came out on Brainfeeder in 2011. Peralta died on November 21, 2012, at age 22 from undisclosed causes. In 2024 Brainfeeder issued a deluxe vinyl edition of Endless Planets that included four bonus tracks, intending to present the album to an entirely new generation of alternative jazz fans.